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Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Anyone know a good child-friendly resort in the Caribbean they would recommend?

27 replies

kaybee75 · 18/10/2009 13:50

We are looking to go on holiday in March 2010 somewhere warm with a 6 month old and a 3 year old. Looking for somewhere really child friendly and sociable with lots for the older one to do and a creche / kids club that will take both of them so we can have a bit of a break too - anyone been anywhere that fits the bill?

OP posts:
CantThinkofFunnyName · 18/10/2009 13:54

Club St Lucia, St Lucia! Only drawback is amount of time it takes to transfer from airport to the resort - but that applies to most places in St Lucia.... You can get a helicopter transfer though!

tvfriend · 21/10/2009 09:57

Just been to FDR resort in Jamaica- not posh but perfect for little ones as you get a nanny and they also have loads of facilities/activities for them. Have a 2 year old and a 10 month old and it was perfect. They absolutely loved it (well the 2 year old did and I'm guessing the baby did!). If you look at the reviews on trip advisor you get a really good feel for the place. i want to go back asap!

Fivesetsofschoolfees · 22/10/2009 21:48

We have been to FDR and I agree it is fab. I would recommend it wholeheartedly.

skinsl · 28/10/2009 18:50

check out Almond Beach Village in Barbados. Bit tired, due for renovation, but great with the kids and direct flight to Barbados, which was main attraction for us

claraquack · 29/10/2009 16:11

Coconut Bay in St Lucia. It is about five minutes drive from the airport, has an excellent kids club (the best I have ever seen) which has also now started taking babies; it also has a waterpark with a couple of waterslides and a lazy river and a fantastic large pool with sloping beach/shallow areas etc. Good variety of food - either buffet, sit down italian or chinese in the evenings (you can hire a babysitter) or a beach grill with pizzas, chips, salads, sandwiches etc. I have been there for a couple of long weekends (we live in St Lucia) and can't recommend it highly enough. The only downside is there is very loud live music on a Saturday night when they do a pirates night, so ask for a room as far as possible from the live entertainment (they do interconnecting rooms).
I am guessing that Virgin and/or BA do good package deals with the hotel as there were loads of Brits there last week.

Original poster
kaybee75 · 01/11/2009 22:26

hi everyone, thanks very much for your ideas - going to look into them asap and get this booked before hubby changes his mind!

OP posts:
BecauseImWorthIt · 01/11/2009 22:30

Turtle Beach, on the south coast, Barbados. Much nicer than Almond Beach; smaller and more family friendly.

Great kids club, good food and staff generally very helpful and friendly.

Fly with Virgin, who are much better with kids than BA. (IMO/E)

mckenzie · 01/11/2009 22:32

we went to Almond Beach Village this august. I respect skinsl's comment but personally we were very very disappointed and would never go back there again.

isnowsoonenough · 02/11/2009 22:01

I will never understand why people book a longhaul trip to somewhere that has so much to offer like the Caribbean to then stay in the resort. Flying for 8 to 10 hours from the UK with 2 small children to then stick them in a hotel's kid's club for a week or more - I just don't get it. You're all mad.

BecauseImWorthIt · 02/11/2009 22:57

Who said we stayed in the resort all week?! Or that the children were in the kids club all the time?

But I'll tell you exactly why we did this the very first time we went. Two young children, DH and I working very full time.

A week of guaranteed warmth and sunshine, with our every need catered for. No cooking, shopping, washing up, washing, ironing. Lovely pool and/or beach for the children and, if we needed/wanted, lovely, lovely, lovely ladies in the kids' club who entertained them.

What's not to like?!

Rindercella · 07/11/2009 22:55

BIWI, Turtle Beach does look lovely, and is definitely one we would consider in the future with DD and DC2 when he/she arrives. My 2 favourite parts of Barbados are the extreme North West coast (Little Good Harbour) and the extreme South East coast (Turtle Beach/Little Arches).

Turtle Beach seems the ideal location in B'dos to me as you can easily walk to St Lawrence Gap, but are far enough away so not to hear the clubs emptying in the early hours. I had many many nights of misspent youth in those clubs . I hope Barbados have sorted out their arrivals since last December though - twas a total nightmare, and took us about 2 hours to get through.

I personally would not travel to St Lucia with very young children. I have only been there once, and loved it. But if you're staying near Castries, the transfer time from the airport is a good 1 1/2 hours. Not only that, the roads are very bumpy and it makes for an uncomfortable journey - after an 8 hour flight it doesn't seem particularly fair to subject children to that.

I am just jealous now as I want to be going to the Carribean NOW (not to stay in the resort 24/7 and dump my children in a kids' club though )

BecauseImWorthIt · 07/11/2009 22:57

Oh me too, Rindercella. I'm sort of mourning the fact that we didn't go this half term

And neither DC want to go again. On the one hand this makes me - on the other hand, it means it will be a lot cheaper for DH and me to go on our own!

Not sure where we would go sans enfants. But would definitely love to go back to the Caribbean.

Rindercella · 07/11/2009 23:06

I do know how to spell Caribbean!!

Without children? I would go for either Little Arches or Little Good Harbour in Barbados. Opposite ends of the island, but both stunning.

BecauseImWorthIt · 07/11/2009 23:08

Oh god, that's holiday porn, Rinder ...

How could you do that to me?

Rindercella · 08/11/2009 12:17
Grin
TheHappyCat · 14/11/2009 23:09

Carlisle Bay Antigua?
(I never went out of the resort. So shoot me. There is plenty of time to be intrepid again when the kids are older).

Ozziegirly · 20/11/2009 06:45

Another vote for Little Good Harbour. Wonderful friendly hotel.

claraquack · 15/12/2009 16:02

Coconut Bay in St Lucia is about five minutes drive from the international airport so you don't have to do the drive north straight from the flight (which we have not found to be a big problem, we do it frequently with our two dd's aged 2 and 4).

I love going to resorts with children this age as you really do get to relax. Mine have yet to go in a children's club but as everything you need is there for them in one place, you don't have to worry about getting from a-b, plus I don't have to think about shopping, cooking, planning etc.

Not sure I would fly all the way to the Caribbean for this if I didn't live here already though!

julie4travel · 16/12/2009 14:33

Beaches in Jamaica or Turks and caicos is excellent for families, I have stayed at Beaches Negril and Beaches Turks and caicos and both were excellent. My son did not want to come home.

some information on the properties is on here

www.luxuryholidaysabroad.co.uk/beaches.html you can also google beaches and lots of websites bring up info etc.

Only downpoint is sometime you pay a bit more for Beaches yet as its all inclusive you dont spend much out there.

buzziebee · 09/04/2010 13:09

Had a horrrendous year and booked on spare of the moment a holiday to St Lucia in Oct 2010 and not too sure if we have book the right resort! we have a 13 and 11 year old and have booked coconut bay. We are having difficulty finding out if there is waterskiing, banana boating near by. We have contacted two watersports places near by with no joy.Does anyone have any info. we booked through virgin and they did not know!Should we consider rebooking one of the Almond resorts? many thanks for any suggestions

lottaluvin · 13/04/2010 16:38

I loved the Almond resorts and have stayed in the Barbados and St Lucia ones.

Why do people get so ansty about this stuff!

Yes, shame on me I used the childcare, but in Barbados I was getting married so we needed time to get organised, and in St Lucia my ds wouldn't have been able to go ziplining through the rainforest at the age of 2!

My dh is in the army and I used to work 12 hour days with commute, we have no grandparents to share childcare and no friends with children nearby so our holiday has to be about some free time. Sorry if that offends...

In Cuba (Playa Pesquero)we used the kids club and had a family loudly slate us for palming off our kids. My ds spent the day learning Cuban dancing, making pizza, and not getting skin cancer in an air con play area. Their 2 yo ds sat in 90 degree heat, in speedos with no sun cream while his parents slept a beer riddled sleep on loungers, only waking from a drunken stupor to scream his name every 20 mins as he had wandered off on his own.....

For everyone else:

I recommend the Almond Resorts and don't forget Cuba - it's still the Caribbean!

stealthsquiggle · 13/04/2010 16:45

Has anyone been to the Jalousie Plantation in St Lucia? I would love to hear opinions - I know about long transfer - we will be there for 2 weeks so it is worth it.

BIWI - sans DC - if the budget allows - Le Sport in St Lucia - 'tis heaven

..and kids clubs are a great option to have - based on previous experience, DS positively chooses to go (more than we might like, sometimes) and I am hoping DD will want to go with him for a couple of afternoons - DH and I do actually want to relax a little as well.

I would choose St Lucia over Jamaica every time - we hated Jamaica every bit as much as we loved St Lucia as places.

newpup · 13/04/2010 17:45

The Beach Club at St James in Antigua is wonderful. Only bookable through Virgin though. Went last Easter and it is just fab! My DDs were 9 & 7 then.

Trying Sea Breeze in Barbados this year hope it is as good!!

scurryfunge · 13/04/2010 17:50

Definately agree with Beach Club St James in Antigua....one of the best child -friendly holidays I've had. Lots of Mexican resorts are great for families too.

DorotheaPlenticlew · 13/04/2010 17:54

of you all.